Midday press briefing of 09/01/2024

Summary

In a midday briefing, the agenda for the European College of Youth was announced, focusing on youth inclusion in decision-making and addressing their concerns. Concerns were raised about EU funds potentially financing Russian propaganda in Italy. The European Commission emphasized the importance of member states in managing and supervising funded projects and stressed that there is no place for propaganda in cohesion policy. Additionally, the EU's stance on the legality of the Republic Sska day in Bosnia was discussed, with the EU firmly supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Takeaways

• 📅 The midday briefing took place on Tuesday, the 9th of January, with short announcements and a focus on the European Year of Youth 2022.
• 🎓 The European Commission will adopt a communication on the achievements and future steps for the European Year of Youth 2022, emphasizing youth inclusion in decision-making and addressing concerns across EU policies.
• 🤝 The Press Room will host a presentation by Vice President Skas and Commissioner Ivanova regarding the European Year of Youth 2022 after the college meeting.
• 🇪🇺 Concerns were raised about EU funds potentially financing Russian propaganda in Europe, specifically mentioning an event in Italy that involved far-right militants and pro-Russian individuals.
• 🔍 The European Commission is in touch with national authorities to obtain more information about the project in question, emphasizing that cohesion policy is managed under shared management with member states.
• 🚫 The Commission stressed that there is no place for financing disinformation or propaganda activities at the behest of third countries under cohesion policy.
• 🇧🇦 The EU maintains a firm stance on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, urging political actors to refrain from provocative actions.
• 🏛️ The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina has ruled that the legislation about Republica Srpska Day is not in line with the country's constitution.
• 🤝 The EU emphasizes the importance of regional cooperation and good neighborly relations, especially for Western Balkan countries aspiring to join the EU.
• 📜 The EU expects full delivery on the Brussels agreement and the implementation plan, considering the commitment made legally binding and urging all parties to work on substance over formalities.
• 🌍 The EU supports the International Court of Justice as the highest UN court and respects international law and the UN Charter, but it is not part of the lawsuit regarding Israel and South Africa.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the European Year of Youth 2022?

The main focus of the European Year of Youth 2022 is on the inclusion of youth in decision-making and addressing youth concerns across EU policies.

Who will present the communication on the European Year of Youth 2022?

The communication will be presented by Vice President Skas and Commissioner Ivanova after the college meeting in the Press Room.

What was the concern raised about EU funds financing an event in Italy?

The concern raised was that EU funds may have financed an event considered as Russian propaganda, specifically in the context of a project called 'a bridge for peace', which involved a cultural link between schools and included participants with far-right and pro-Russian affiliations.

How does the European Commission respond to the misuse of EU funds for propaganda?

The European Commission emphasized that there is no place for financing disinformation or propaganda activities under cohesion policy. It also highlighted that member states are responsible for selecting, supervising, and monitoring the projects, and they must ensure that projects align with the objectives of the programs and cohesion policy.

What is the European Union's position on the celebration of Republic Sska day in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

The European Union maintains a firm and clear position that the sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order, and international personality of Bosnia and Herzegovina must be maintained. Any action against these principles will lead to serious consequences.

How does the EU ensure that its funds are not used for propaganda or disinformation activities?

The EU ensures this by investing in areas such as infrastructure, research, innovation parks, schools, education, and human capital development, with a focus on social, economic, and territorial cohesion. The EU also works with member states to monitor and evaluate projects to prevent misuse of funds.

What is the status of the implementation of the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia?

The parties committed to delivering on the Brussels agreement and the implementation plan. The EU considers this commitment legally binding and expects full delivery on the substance of the agreement.

What is the EU's stance on the International Court of Justice case regarding Israel and South Africa?

The EU supports the International Court of Justice as the highest UN court and respects international law and the UN Charter. However, since the EU is not part of the lawsuit, it does not comment on the specifics of the case.

How does the EU propose to counter the ideological basis of groups like Hamas?

The EU proposes the idea of peace and stability, specifically through the two-state solution, which offers a perspective of a better life for both Palestinians and Israelis and an exit from the cycle of violence.

What is the EU doing to address the issue of microplastics pollution?

The EU is working on medium and long-term policies to better manage the issue of microplastics pollution at the EU level, including a proposed regulation to prevent plastic pellet losses and reduce microplastic pollution.

What is the current status of the budget support agreement for Tunisia?

The 150 million in budget support was adopted by the European Commission, but the agreement and financing decision still need to be signed by the Tunisian authorities, and conditions have to be agreed upon before any payment is made.

Can you provide an update on the progress of integrating the Convention of Human Rights and fundamental freedoms of the Council of Europe into EU Affairs?

The negotiations have advanced on most open points, and efforts are being made to close the process. More information will be provided once it becomes available.

Outlines

00:00

📢 European Commission's Midday Briefing Highlights

The European Commission's midday briefing on January 9th focused on the agenda for the college meeting, where a communication on the achievements and future directions of the European Year of Youth 2022 would be presented. This year emphasized youth inclusion in EU decision-making and addressing youth concerns across EU policies. Additionally, a concern was raised about EU funds potentially financing an event linked to Russian propaganda in Italy, involving cultural exchanges between schools in Lazio and an area occupied by Russia. The Commission is in touch with national authorities for more details, emphasizing the role of member states in managing and monitoring cohesion policy funds.

05:01

🌍 EU's Firm Stance on Bosnia and Herzegovina's Territorial Integrity

During the European Commission's briefing, a question was raised about the celebration of Republika Srpska Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with concerns over statements made by Republika Srpska's leader regarding independence. The EU reaffirmed its longstanding position on Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order, highlighting the need for all political actors to avoid actions and rhetoric that question the country's unity. The EU also emphasized the importance of respecting decisions by the country's Constitutional Court and the potential for serious consequences if principles are violated.

10:01

🇪🇺 EU Commitment to Good Neighborly Relations in the Balkans

The discussion also touched on the importance of regional cooperation and good neighborly relations among Western Balkan countries for their EU integration path. Actions or statements that negatively impact these relations are discouraged. The EU expects international partners, including Serbia, to support Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU perspective as a united and sovereign country. The conversation also covered potential consequences for actions against EU principles in the region, highlighting the unanimity required among member states to implement measures.

15:03

🔍 Scrutiny over Legality of Kosovo-Serbia Agreement

A question regarding the normalization agreement between Kosovo and Serbia highlighted concerns about its legally binding nature and implementation. The EU considers the commitments made in Brussels and Ohrid as legally binding, expecting full delivery from both parties. The focus is on working towards substance rather than dwelling on formalities, with the European Commission encouraging progress in alignment with agreed conditions.

20:05

📌 EU's Position on Israel-Palestine Conflict and Two-State Solution

The European Commission addressed inquiries about the conflict between Israel and Hamas, emphasizing the need for a competing idea against Hamas' ideology through the promotion of peace and stability via a two-state solution. This solution, supporting both Israel's security and Palestinian dignity, is seen as the only viable counteroffer to the endless cycle of violence and as the basis for a better future for both parties.

25:06

🌐 European Commission on Environmental Concerns and Microplastic Pollution

A question about a plastic pellets spill on the coast of Spain led to a discussion on the EU's efforts to tackle microplastic pollution. The Commission highlighted its proposed regulation to prevent plastic pellet losses and its work on the enforcement of environmental obligations, emphasizing that immediate actions are generally managed by national authorities. The EU is committed to addressing microplastic pollution through medium and long-term policy initiatives.

30:07

💶 EU's Financial Support to Tunisia Under Scrutiny

The European Commission clarified the status of the €150 million budget support adopted for Tunisia, noting that an agreement and financing decision are still being finalized with Tunisian authorities. Disbursement will proceed once conditions are met and agreed upon, with no payments made thus far. This financial support is part of the EU's broader engagement with Tunisia to support economic stabilization and reforms.

35:07

🇪🇺 EU's Ongoing Efforts to Integrate the Council of Europe's Human Rights Convention

The European Commission provided an update on the long-standing initiative to affirm the Council of Europe's Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms within the EU. Negotiations have advanced on key open points, with the Commission working towards concluding the process. This effort underscores the EU's commitment to human rights and democratic principles.

Keywords

💡European Year of Youth 2022

The European Year of Youth 2022 is a designated initiative by the European Union aimed at focusing on the inclusion of young people in decision-making processes and addressing their concerns across EU policies. It is a platform for promoting active participation and engagement of the youth in shaping the future of Europe. In the transcript, the agenda for a Press event is announced, which will discuss the achievements and the way forward for this initiative.

💡Russian Propaganda

Russian propaganda refers to the dissemination of information, ideas, or rumors by the Russian government or its supporters with the intention to influence public opinion, often in favor of Russian interests. In the context of the transcript, there is concern about EU funds potentially being used to finance events that promote Russian propaganda, particularly in Italy, which raises questions about the oversight and management of EU funds to prevent such misuse.

💡Cohesion Policy

Cohesion Policy is a set of European Union (EU) rules and actions designed to reduce economic, social, and territorial disparities between regions and ensure balanced development across the EU. It is managed under shared management, meaning that member states play a significant role in selecting, supervising, and monitoring funded projects. The policy aims to foster social and economic cohesion, with a focus on areas like green transition, digitalization, infrastructure, research, and education.

💡Republic of Srpska

The Republic of Srpska is one of the two entities that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The entity is predominantly inhabited by Serbs and has its own government and president. The EU has a firm stance on maintaining the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the Republic of Srpska, and any actions that challenge these principles are considered serious violations.

💡International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with settling legal disputes between states. It is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and its decisions are considered authoritative and binding. The ICJ plays a crucial role in upholding international law and promoting peaceful resolution of conflicts.

💡Two-State Solution

The two-state solution is a proposed resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which envisions the establishment of two separate states for Israelis and Palestinians, living side by side in peace and security. This solution is widely supported by the international community and is seen as a way to address the long-standing issues of sovereignty, self-determination, and end the cycle of violence.

💡Microplastic Pollution

Microplastic pollution refers to the environmental contamination caused by tiny plastic particles, often resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic products or the direct release of microbeads and plastic pellets into the environment. This form of pollution poses a significant threat to marine life, ecosystems, and potentially human health through the food chain.

💡Shrinkflation

Shrinkflation is a marketing and pricing strategy where manufacturers reduce the size or quantity of a product while maintaining or increasing its price, often without changing the packaging size. This practice can lead to consumer dissatisfaction as they perceive they are getting less value for their money.

💡Tunisia Memorandum

The Tunisia Memorandum refers to an agreement between the European Union and Tunisia that provides budget support to the country. This financial assistance is aimed at helping Tunisia address its economic challenges and support its democratic transition.

💡Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, commonly known as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), is an international treaty that guarantees a series of human rights and fundamental freedoms to be respected by the member states of the Council of Europe. The Treaty of Lisbon requires the EU to affirm the ECHR, and negotiations are ongoing to integrate the convention into EU affairs.

💡European Recognition of Parenthood

European Recognition of Parenthood refers to a proposed EU-level framework that would provide legal recognition and protection for parent-child relationships across member states, regardless of the parents' marital status or the circumstances of the child's birth. This initiative aims to ensure that parental rights and responsibilities are recognized and enforced throughout the EU, promoting legal certainty and safeguarding the best interests of the child.

Highlights

Announcement of the agenda and press event for the European Commission college meeting.

Adoption of a communication on the achievements and way forward for the European Year of Youth 2022.

Focus on youth inclusion in decision-making and addressing youth concerns across EU policies.

Presentation of the communication by Vice President Skas and Commissioner Ivanova after the college meeting.

Question about Russian propaganda in Europe funded by EU funds, specifically in Italy.

Concerns about far-right militants and pro-Russian individuals being involved in EU-funded cultural events.

The European Commission's response to allegations of EU funds financing Russian propaganda.

The role of member states in selecting, supervising, and monitoring funded projects under shared management.

The European Union's stance on the legality and consequences of the Republic Srpska day celebration.

The EU's emphasis on respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Discussion on the normalization agreement between Kosovo and Serbia and its legal binding nature.

The EU's commitment to the two-state solution as a counter-idea to Hamas' theocratic ideology.

The EU's support for the International Court of Justice and respect for international law.

The EU's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the need for a peaceful resolution.

The EU's work on amending the negotiating framework for Serbia to include the obligation of implementation.

The EU's efforts to reduce microplastic pollution, including the prevention of plastic pellet losses.

The EU's support for the two-state solution as a means to guarantee peace, stability, and security for both Israel and Palestine.

The EU's commitment to the Peace Day effort for the benefit of Palestinians and Israelis.

The EU's approach to managing the environmental impact and marine life affected by the plastic pallet spill in Spain.

The EU's plans for the 2040 communication and the expected release of an impact assessment.

The EU's response to the practice of 'shrinkflation' and the notification received from France regarding new rules for retailers.

The status of the 150 million euro budget support agreement for Tunisia and the conditions for its dispersal.

The EU's update on the integration of the Council of Europe's convention into EU affairs to address human rights and democratic deficit issues.

The EU's proposal for European recognition of parenthood and its progress under the current presidency.

Transcripts

right good morning Welcome to our midday

briefing today is Tuesday the 9th of

January very short announcements uh

today following the meeting of the heads

of cabinet yesterday I can announce the

agenda and the Press event for the

college tomorrow the college will adopt

a communication on the achievements and

the way forward um for the European year

of Youth 2022 which focuses on the

inclusion or which focused on the

inclusion of Youth in you decision-

making and on addressing youth concerns

across EU

policies this communication will be

presented to you here in The Press Room

after the college meeting by vice

president skas and commissioner

Ivanova that's all for announcements

today we can now pass on to your

questions okay David start us

off

thank you thank you Eric um is is a

question on uh uh in fact Ukraine

Ukraine propaganda Uh Russian propaganda

in uh in in Europe and EU

funds uh because there has been a case

in

Italy uh

where uh EU funds have financed an

event uh of Russian

propaganda uh uh it was uh in the

context uh uh of uh uh a

project uh

[Music]

callede a bridge for

peace uh one of the event of this

project financed uh I guess by the

erdf um was a link cultural link between

a school in AI in latio and a school in

luans uh occupied by

Russia and uh some of the participant of

this event uh are in fact uh far rights

uh uh uh militants or um Russian Italian

pro-russian uh people uh I can mention

Andrea Luchi and the organization linked

to this event is vent to the left which

is a far right and pro Russia

organization I'm wondering if you are

aware of this case if the money can

Finance Pro Russia propaganda in Europe

and uh what would be the reaction by the

European commission if confirm that the

EU money is financing in a member State

Russian propaganda thank you thank you

Stefan thank you very much David I think

there's two things I would like to say

first on the project itself and second

on the more General issue of propaganda

and and cohesion policy first as far as

this uh project is concerned that you're

referring to the commission is in touch

with the national authorities to uh

obtain some more detailed information

but I would in any case also recommend

you to contact the National authorities

for the very simple reason that cohesion

policy is managed under what we call

shared management it basically means

that it's the member states that select

the operations for funding they

supervise them they monor them they

follow the project it's not a commission

that's doing that you know for instance

we have a database called cesio where we

have more than two million projects so

it's out of the question that the

commission can manage or Implement all

these projects the commission is in

charge of the overall supervision of the

programs so it is first and foremost

with the member states to make sure that

the projects are in line with the

objectives of the programs and of cion

policy which brings me to the second uh

issue I wanted to stress which is about

propaganda and clearly

there is in cohesion policy no place to

finance disinformation or propaganda uh

activities at the Beast of third

countries cohesion policy has as its

main objective to ensure to have more

social economic territorial cohesion

across the European Union trying to

correct imbalances between countries of

the European Union with a strong focus

on of course the European Union's

priorities for instance in the area of

green transition digitalization and so

on and we do that by investing in

infrastructure research Innovation Parks

schools education or in human capital

training people fighting against

exclusion and So within this very

important policy area one of the main

EUR investment tools of the European

Union almost 400 billion euros there is

therefore no place for propaganda or

disinformation activities at the behest

of third countries but again as far as

the specific project is concerned I

would also advise you to also contact

the National authorities in in Italy

thank

you thank you very much um any other

questions on

[Music]

this

me

rep

uh thank you I have a question for Peter

uh it's on the celebration of the uh

Republica sska day in BOS heroina in

Serb

entity uh the leader of uh that entity

dodig is repeating uh his announcement

that they will declare independence of

Republic sska and the messages that were

heard yesterday were about the Serbian

World which is a new name for the

greater Serbia or the idea that all all

serbs in the region should join in one

state uh what is your position on this

and what is anyway position of EU on the

legality of this celebration thank

you yeah thank you Augustine first of

all I will recall a very firm and clear

position of the European Union when it

comes to bosnan heroina and this

position has not changed for years and

uh the European Union has been always

emphasizing the sere that the

sovereignity territ torial Integrity

constitutional order and international

personality of Bosnia heroina need to be

maintained any action against these

principles will lead to Serious

consequences now the European Union has

been uh also consistant urging all

political actors in the country to

refrain from provocative rhetorics or

actions in particular those in republ

sska who call into question Count's

sovereignity territory integrity and

unity and when it comes to legality of

the of the Republic Sera day the

Constitutional Court of the country

already ruled twice in 2015 and 2019

that uh the legislation in Republic Sera

about Republica sska day is not in line

with the constitution of bosnan and

Herzegovina and again I can only repeat

the European Union emphasiz it that

emphasizes the need to respect the

sovereignity territorial integrity

constitutional order including Decisions

by the Constitutional Court uh by All

actors in bosnan heroina and as we said

any action going against these

principles will lead to Serious

consequences take a go

ahead Peter since this it's not the

first time that EU insists that it's

illegal uh celebration of of this day of

Republica sska however it's not also the

first time that delegation or

delegations of neighboring states

participate in this celebration how do

you comment and are these in in in the

spirit of good neighborly

relations uh in the whole region of the

western Balkans the fact that there are

delegations from other state

participating in the celebration that is

considered illegal not only in Bosnia

heroina but elsewhere in the region

thank you thank you well Regional

cooperation and good neighborly

relations are principles which are very

important for the European Union and for

all the countries uh who want to join

join the European Union that means the

the Western Balkan countries so this is

essential part of the progress of these

countries on their European path and

actions statements or or gestures which

negatively impact good neighborly

relations uh and uh and Regional

cooperation only and that add tol itical

divisions need to be avoided and on this

we were very clear and we expect

International Partners including in

Serbia to be equally committed to Bosnia

heroin's EU perspective as a single

United and sovereign country which

territorial Integrity sovereignty and

unity is not being put in

question

wa but I mean this this integrity and S

is put into question almost on a daily

basis I mean you speak about the severe

consequences um as this is not the first

provocation or or um yes um I mean what

are these consequences I mean we know

that for example also people were

brought from Republic to vote in Serbia

um so what are these consequences thank

you thanks the consequences can be

anything what the member States agree on

there are possibilities to take

political measures there are

possibilities to take economic or

financial measures there are

possibilities to take restrict measures

we already have a sanctions framework

for example for bosnan and heroina so

when member states decide enough is

enough and they have enough U enough

political willingness uh and proof for

uh taking concrete steps they would do

it the steps in these areas are subject

to

unanimity

yeah sorry to insist but I mean isn't

this threat an empty threat if it's I

mean if if not there is nothing nothing

nothing happening after so many uh

actions and provocations from mainly

from Van Lua thank you the actions of

the European Union in the domain of

external relations which is the case

also in in this particular situation are

subject to unanimity of the member

states and until now there might not

have been many visible steps but again

when member states decide enough is

enough then they will take an action

that needs to be agreed by all 27 of

them thank you I think we've exhausted

what we could say on this is it on this

MOS go

ahead yes I wonder if I can come back to

the question yesterday we discussed

about the normalization agreement

between Kosovo and Serbia and whether it

really has become legally

binding as you said yesterday according

to the Vienna convention on

International

agreements because uh it seems to me

that um

uh let's say an agreement can be say

legal bonding in different ways but but

that should be stated inside the

agreement itself and didn't find it in

in this agreement on the contrary

article six if I might say uh refers to

this agreement as a kind of precursor to

a a later legally binding agreement

that's one thing and the other thing I

wonder is about the so-called Annex on

implementation Arrangements

taken in orid in March last year because

there you have some reference about the

adoption of agreement which would lead

uh to changes in the chapter you know 35

and other issues with Serbia which

hasn't been done yet I understand so it

hasn't been

adopted so so what is the explanation to

this I

mean thank you Mo on the second part of

your question work is proceeding in line

with the conclusions from the general

affairs Council from last December on

the first part of your question again I

mean we discussed it thoroughly for for

for weeks or months uh the parties um

committed to deliver on the Brussels

agreement or on the agreement reached in

Brussels in February and in Orit in in

March and they made a commitment and we

consider this commitment to be legally

binding this commitment was expressed by

the statement of high representative

which accompanied the publication of uh

of the implementation uh Act or

implementation plan of this agreement so

everyone knows where we stand everyone

knows what they need to do and we expect

the full delivery this year offers a

good opportunity to really start working

hard not discussing

formalities but working on delivering on

the

substance I I really think we have sorry

I really think we have exhausted this

issue of the legally binding nature of

the agreement the question has been

asked I don't know how many times in The

Press Room I understand why you are

while you're asking those questions but

I think Peter has stated our position in

an unequivocal way um based on our

understanding of the situation so please

let's refrain from going again into the

issue once you know what is exactly the

position that we are going to express

here on the podium not withstanding this

I happy to pass the floor to Augustine

again on a slightly different angle I

hope yes thank you yes it's different uh

Peter um the member states in general

affairs Council uh tossed European

commission and uh external Action

Service uh to come with a proposal to

amend negotiating framework for Serbia

in order to include in chapter 20 35 uh

the obligation of the

implementation uh and they mentioned no

later than end of January so we are 9th

of January already uh how far are you

with preparation and are you going to uh

present it on time as asked by member

states thank you thank thank you

Augustine as I already said uh the work

is ongoing in line with the tasking from

the member

states well I think we've exhausted this

issue for today any other Foreign

Affairs issues for Peter

yeah thanks Eric uh Alex from feature

story news I want to ask about South

Africa's case at the international court

of justice Thursday and Friday uh

claiming that the Israeli operations in

Gaza amount to genocide Israel calls

that case blood liable the US says it

has no basis in fact does the commission

have a position on this thanks thanks

for this the position of European Union

in general is uh the one saying that we

are supporting the international court

of justice because this is the highest

un court and uh since we are a community

based on rule of law and in respect for

international law and un chter of course

we are supporting the international

court of justice regarding this specific

case countries have the right to submit

cases or lawsuits uh the European Union

is not part of this lawsuit so this is

not really for us to to comment uh

because this is a pending case in front

of international court so this is not

for us to to comment at all I can only I

can only repeat that we are committed to

international law to respect for un

Charter and rules-based

order thank you David you have a

question on Foreign

Affairs thank you Eric and David Price

your democracy um it's on the statement

of yesterday of high representative

Burell um he said uh Hamas is an idea

the only way to kill an idea is to

propose a better one now the the basis

of Hamas ideology is is religious it's

Theocratic um which means that U the

suicide bombers are willing to give

their lives because they will find a

better place in heaven with luxury and

so on um there are now and I'm just

wondering what sort of idea is going to

be proposed because we're in a dangerous

situation we have tens of thousands of

people who are demonstrating in European

Union in favor of uh Hamas and and uh

the events that took place uh

immediately after the the murders the

rapes the the pillages of of uh in

Israel um so what sort of ideas are

being proposed that can actually be

better than some sort of uh uh religious

idea which is based on uh rewards in the

next life um so that the present life

doesn't make any

difference thank you David this is this

is an issue we discussed already at the

end of November or start of the December

when we were discussing exactly the the

issue of idea and counter idea that you

can defeat Hamas militarily but you

will't be able to defeat the idea Hamas

represents and it's not not only idea uh

rooted in in religious aspects of of

their ideology it's also an idea of what

they are offering the ways how they want

to deal with the with the situation etc

etc and this is something what we of

course don't agree with and that's why

High representative is saying that the

idea the competing idea that needs to be

offered to the Palestinian people is the

idea of peace and stability and what

brings them peace and stability is the

two-state solution there is already a

wide International consensus that the

counter offer should be based on the

idea of the two-state solution not in

declarations but in concrete actions to

fill this idea with substance because

only this offers the people in Palestine

but in Israel as well a perspective of a

better life and an exit from the endless

cycle of violence which is being which

is being uh intensified in this horrific

Dimensions nowadays so the short answer

is the two-state solution is the idea or

the counter idea especially for the

Palestinian people to look for something

else than the Twisted ideology of

Hamas follow up David but let's not get

into a philosophical discussion

okay no it's it's not philosophical it's

a matter of life and death and it's also

a matter of the uh continuation of uh

the European Union

um some there are some people who may be

influenced by the prospect of Peace but

the there are people uh in Hamas

who and and others in the Palestinian

Authority look to two-state solution as

an intermediary step for the destruction

of

Israel um and so the idea of Peace has

got two sides to it so you need to

create a situation where you're not just

facilitating uh further um events like

we had on October 7th so how can you

deal with a Theocratic idea in Practical

terms to avoid death murder and and and

various other uh things that took place

uh in the past thanks David again the

answer is the two-state solution because

the two-state solution uh comprises or

encompasses the notion of two state

living side by side in peace and

stability so if we manage together with

our partners in International Community

and of course with the Israelis and

Palestinians because without them it

will not be possible uh if we manage to

achieve this that should be the answer

and the guarantee for the state of

Israel because Israel is here to stay I

mean this is one of the cornerstones of

our po policy and uh of the policy of

our International Partners the security

of the state of Israel needs to be

guaranteed the same way as dignity and

and prosperous lives life for the

Palestinian people and this is what we

are working on together with

International Partners to fill the two

State idea with a Content uh that will

bring this uh this solution hopefully

sooner than

later thank you other questions on this

MOS I'm not going to let this go on for

very long people who have been waiting

for the floor for quite some time now of

course it's very brief question uh uh

related to high representative Bo's

visit in the region last week and U uh I

haven't seen any statement about the

results yet but I think he tweeted U

recently of this meeting in Saudi Arabia

that will be a kind of conference here M

Brussels

soon I just wonder if that the idea

about the so-called you know uh Peace

Day effort the uh which was discussed I

mean uh before before the was started in

uh in October in September I think in

United Nations thank

you thanks MOS there was a statement or

press statement by high representative

published uh late last uh night so it's

out we published also the transcript is

on the es website the whole morning

today so you can read the output from

from his uh from his Regional uh Journey

where indeed High representative goes

back to this idea of the Peace Day

effort and we continue and this was also

discussed uh during his meetings in

Saudi Arabia yesterday so we continue to

work on this Saudi Arabia was an

important partner when we were launching

launching this so we continue these

discussions we continue the engagement

this is a process that hopefully will

lead to to the possibility that we will

be able to implement it fully for the

benefit of the Palestinians and the

Israelis so this is ongoing process that

will be further worked on by by the

European Union by the European

institutions and member states in

cooperation with our

partners okay I'm closing this chapter

now any other Foreign Affairs issues for

Peter

today that is not the case thank you

Peter you can ask for this

one for the Spanish news agency e Happy

New Year I think it's a question for ad

Albert is regarding this plastic pallets

spill in the coast of

Spain so I wanted to know a little okay

I want to know a little bit what did you

take if you're concern if you're

providing some assistance some guidance

or something and then how to what extent

your concern or you you have some

information of the impact that could

have both for environmental impact and

marine life and so on and also for uh

human health if that ends up in the

supply chain of food thank

you hi Javier thank you very much um so

generally speaking this kind of uh

situation is rather to be managed by

national authorities they would be

responsible for uh any immediate actions

and to follow up on uh um sorry for any

assessment of the situation and for any

immediate actions that may be required

whether it's from the perspective of

managing the environmental situation or

to investigate the causes of it and if

there are any um any suspicions of

environmental crime to investigate uh

and to uh take any appropriate measures

more generally uh the commission is of

course uh very much aware of the aders

impacts caused by microplastics

pollution and in particular the losses

of plastic pellets in the environment

and you may recall that we proposed a

regulation on um preventing plastic

pellet losses to reduce microplastic

pollution uh in October last year um we

also uh have been working on this on the

uh enforcement of environmental

obligations and specifically about the

protection of the environment through

criminal law and you may also recall

that there was a political agreement

reached in November about a relevant EU

directive um on this issue so while the

immediate uh situation is to be managed

by the national authorities as is

usually the case the commission is

working on Medi medium and long-term

policy in order to manage um this situ

this issue in general um better on the

EU

level thank you very much any other

questions on environmental or transport

issues for Alber

today

that is not the case thank you daff I

think you had asked for the floor

no uh it's not environmental climate I

see Tim go ahead um so it's just it's

just reconfirmation of the 6th of

February date for presentation of the

2040

communication um and if there's any

anything you can say in terms of uh what

we can expect on the that day I suppose

there's there's the impact assessment

that should be released on that day if

you could just confirm that thanks sorry

that's not a question for Tim that's a

question for me and dfid you're an old

hand here in The Press Room you know

that uh there are two things we've got

the least Point preview which is out a

tentative agenda for uh for college

debates and then we confirm the agenda

of college meetings uh after the uh the

weekly meeting of heads of cabinet so

you know what's out there what we have

published in the Le Point preview we

will confirm the agendas uh on a rolling

basis um once heads of cabinet have

approved and in terms of exactly what

will be U on the agenda that day that

depends on those discussions during the

hebo meeting of heads of cabinet so

there's nothing further we can say at

this St but you're you're right to point

out that we have in the Le a specific

date for a discussion on uh 20 uh on

2040

all right

um I had some issue I had had some

questions or hands raised rather in uh

the on the interactual platform so I go

to

camia hello happy New Year will you hear

me yes yes Happy New Year to you too go

ahead uh my question is about a practice

called shrink flation at the end of

December France sent a not ification to

the European commission that it plans to

adopt a new rule will will force the

retailers to alert their C customers if

products are sold at the same price but

in smaller

quantities what could you tell us about

this notification what are the steps

have you received similar notification

from other states and what is the

position of European commission about

the shrink flation thank you very much

good question I'm looking to my

colleagues uh I I think this would be an

internal Market question but I'm not

entirely sure um listen we will um

investigate this and come back because I

have no specific position that I can

give you at this point in time but we

will uh we will look for information and

come back to

you okay I go

to hi hello everybody and happy New Year

I have a question about something that

you announced right before the win break

it's about tunisha the memorandum this

agreement uh uh worth 150 million in

budget support I want to know uh is the

agreement fully uh finalized uh have

there been any uh payments uh to the

Tunisian Treasury and is the amount

going to be dispersed all at once or

gradually across this year thank you

thank you that's a question for

Anna

um thanks a lot for um the

question um what I can tell you is that

indeed uh the 150 million in budget

support was adopted uh by the European

commission at the end of last year um

how it works is that um this afterwards

you need to do um an agreement and a

financing decision uh that needs to be

signed by the Tunisian authorities uh

conditions have to be agreed and this is

all still in the making so um to cut it

short um no uh there has still been um

no payment on this um and um as always I

mean the idea is that this money will be

dispersed uh once the commission has

checked that the conditions are met uh

this is all still um also being

discussed and further fine-tuned with

the Tunisian

authorities thank you very much any

other question for Anna on

this no or on other uh neighborhoods

related files or enlargement related

files no thank you Anna any other

questions for us today

David

on

for

off

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for

on this David go

ahead the same subject of the Council of

Europe uh the

um the Treaty of Lisbon uh says that uh

the European Union should uh be uh

Affirmed the convention of Human Rights

and fundamental freedoms of the Council

of Europe and there's been negotiations

going on uh to do this uh and the

president was in Iceland to discuss it

at one stage last year uh I just

wondering if you give us an update on

what the program is for integrating the

uh the convention into uh EU Affairs and

uh because this would help enormously in

human rights and Dem ratic deficit

problems yeah I think that's a question

for Christian while I was looking for

him

Christian yes thank you David for

reminding us of this uh subject that's

been ongoing for for quite a while um so

what I can say at this stage is that the

negotiations have uh well ad Advanced um

and um on yeah that have advanced on the

most most open uh points and we are

working towards closing this process so

this is where we stand at this stage

once once we have more we will of course

inform thank you very

much any other questions for Christian

rule of law

issues

MOS

one another question I would like to ask

you Christian about this issue we

discussed last year about the

commission's proposal for

European recognition of

Parenthood uh because it hasn't been

Advanced at all during the previous two

presidencies that you know and I didn't

find it either in the Bion a

presidencies program so I wonder if you

have any news whether there is a a

chance that it will be promoted during

this this

presidency thanks for the question Mo

but I think that's rather a question for

the for the Belgian

presidency indeed could not have said it

better myself any other questions on

rule of

law no on any other issues for us

today that is not the case thank you

very much see you tomorrow for the

college

readout

for

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for